Promoting Equity and Social Justice

Our strategic approach involves reviewing and enhancing the school district's efforts to effectively address topics of multiculturalism, black history (including racism and systemic racism), and diverse perspectives to foster greater knowledge, empathy, acceptance, tolerance and mutual respect.

Curriculum: Working together with curriculum coordinators, coaches, classroom teachers and other staff, we will review and update our curricula to include identity work, people-centered history, and systems analysis while incorporating Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards.

Instruction: Through delivery of updated curriculum, we will implement enhanced culturally responsive instruction.

School Culture: As a district we will continue to promote respect, caring, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and anti-bullying behaviors through the implementation of Second Steps Curriculum, participation in assemblies, small group conversations and discussion groups throughout the school year.

Professional learning: Administrators, teachers and staff will engage in continuous student-centered professional learning and dialogue to increase our awareness and expand our knowledge and methods.

Engagement with the community: We will engage with the community in new and deeper ways taking advantage of all assets the community has to offer.

1. Continue to build classroom libraries and texts to be used for instruction to include diverse authors and perspectives. (on-going)

2. Review/update curricula K-12. (Summer 2020 and ongoing)

3. Develop new elective course for Black and Latino Studies at the high school level in accordance with Public Act No. 19-12 to be taught in the 21-22 school year. (Spring-Summer 2021)

4. Schedule planned ADL workshops/assemblies at HKMS and HKHS, and plan ongoing student conversations, and guest speakers/first-person stories. (on-hold due to COVID 19)

5. Partner with area experts to plan professional development. (on-going)

6. Partner with HKYFS as they plan to launch Community Conversations, beginning with unity. (on-going)

Please see BOE Curriculum Subcommittee Presentations posted below for updates on progress and actions.

February 8, 2021

Social Justice Standards the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework